Are You a Reader or a Listener? Why Your Answer Matters for Leadership Success
The hidden reason you feel like your team isn’t ‘getting it’ probably has nothing to do with their intelligence, but rather how they process information.
Are you a reader or a listener?
As a leader, your answer to this question (and knowing the same about your team) could be a game changer for performance and getting your point across.
Here’s what I mean. Being a ‘reader’ vs. a ‘listener’ is a distinction in how you process information, and it affects everything from how effectively you communicate to how you learn new concepts.
Readers absorb information visually through articles, reports, and slide decks. They perform better when concepts are delivered in writing and often need quiet, independent time to process information before acting on it.
Listeners learn through conversations, podcasts, and verbal explanations. Their learning process is inherently social and interactive. They digest information in real time as they hear it from others.
What’s crazy is research shows most of us don't actually know which type we are.
Frequently, people assume they’re ‘readers’ because they were told at some point in their life they were ‘visual learners.’
What becomes problematic is when you are trying to force yourself to be one thing based on assumption, or trying to be both, which just makes everything harder.
This disconnect creates significant challenges in workplace communication:
When a reader receives instructions verbally, they may nod along but struggle to actually follow through with what you’re asking them to do
When a listener receives a detailed email, they might skim it but miss crucial points (me)
Team meetings that involve a lot of collaboration might resonate with listeners while frustrating readers who need to see things, read them and process them first
Before questioning a team member's intelligence or commitment when they're not following through, consider whether you're delivering information in a format that works for them.
Next time you need to convey important information, try delivering it in both formats:
Follow up verbal conversations with written summaries
Supplement written communications with brief videos, audio messages or huddles
Ask your team directly: "Do you prefer to receive information in writing or through conversation?"
This simple adjustment could be the difference between a team that struggles to execute and one that consistently performs at its highest potential.
Have you thought about this with yourself? Are you a reader, or a learner?
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